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Colorado Rapids

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September 15, 2005 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release


RAPIDS VS DC UNITED: Colorado trails the overall series with DC 7-11-5. The Rapids are 5-5-2 in Denver and 2-6-3 in DC during the regular season. Colorado is looking for their first win the nation's capital since 1999.

OFFENSE ANYONE, OFFENSE?: The Colorado Rapids increased the club's offensive firepower heading into the 2005 Major League Soccer Playoffs on Tuesday, September 13, 2005 as the team announced it has acquired forward Jovan Kirovski from the Los Angeles Galaxy in exchange for the Black and Blue's first round draft pick in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft, as well as signed Colombian forward Diego Serna to a multi-year deal.

YOU CAN PICK YOUR FORMATION: For a team that set the record for the league's all-time lowest total goals scored in a season in 2004, the Colorado Rapids under Head Coach Fernando Clavijo have made sure to make changes to not repeat that feat. With the addition of forwards Diego Serna and Jovan Kirovski to the offensive play of Jeff Cunningham, Jean Philippe Peguero, Luchi Gonzalez, Wolde Harris, Alain Nkong, and Fabrice Nöel, the Rapids have for the first time in many years the offensive players at their disposal to be able to produce a true attacking formation heading into the 2005 MLS Cup Playoffs. Clavijo will be able to utilize Peguero, Cunningham and Harris up top, while moving his pieces in the attacking midfield/withdrawn forward position with Nkong, Serna, Kirovski and Nöel, who have all proven to be able to finish and create. Combined, these four players have notched 50 assists in Major League Soccer. On the other hand, Luchi Gonzalez has proven to be able to play both up top and on the left and right flanks of the attack, creating spaces that leave midfielders like Terry Cooke and Dedi Ben-Dayan available to join the offense.

FIRST SWEEP: Should the Rapids come out victorious against DC United on Saturday, September 17, it would mark the first time the team has swept the season series between the two teams. If the final result is a draw, it would be the first time since 2001 that the Rapids would take the majority of the points in the series. Last season the teams split the points 4 apiece.

SCORING STREAK: The Rapids have scored at least one goal in their last nine games. This streak is only second to the Crew, who have scored in ten straight games. San Jose is riding an eight-game goalscoring streak at the moment, right behind the Black and Blue.

HAVEN'T I SEEN YOU SOMEWHERE BEFORE?: After not playing against each other since Aug. 11 of last year, the Rapids and DC United are becoming quickly reacquainted this month. The teams met in Oneonta, NY for the Hall of Fame game on Aug. 29, a 6-2 Rapids victory, and then less than a week later Colorado hosted DC in MLS play on Sept. 3, a 1-0 Black and Blue win. The next day the two reserve squads met, a 3-2 DC win, and finally the two teams will face each other this Saturday in the nation's capital for their final encounter of the '05 regular season.

RESERVE WIN: The Rapids Reserve side (3-4-2, 11 pts) notched their third win of the regular season at the expense of the Galaxy's reserve team in a game played at The Home Depot Center training fields in Carson, California last Sunday, September 11. The Black and Blue's goals in the 6-2 victory came from forward Jean Philippe Peguero, who netted his first unofficial career hat trick, Fabrice Nöel, Wolde Harris, and invitee midfielder Lance Snodgrass. Goalkeeper Byron Foss recorded his first win in the Rapids Reserve team goal, with the other two victories belonging to goalkeepers Bouna Coundoul and former Rapids backup Michael Cardenas. The Rapids Reserves will next play Chivas USA's Reserves on Sunday, September 25th in Carson, California.

PLEASE CALL HIM ONLY DEDI: Rapids senior international David "Dedi" Ben-Dayan will from now on be referred to as "Dedi", the name that he has been referred to since he was a child in Israel. The name Dedi is a diminutive or derivative of the name David in Hebrew, much like Charlie or Chuck for Charles, Will or Bill for William, Bob or Rob for Robert, Jim or Jamie for James, and so on, rather than a nickname like Scooter, Peewee, or Buddy. Dedi has been known by that name since infancy, and the Israeli public does not even know that his name at birth was David. Many documents, like his MLS contract, refer to him as David.

IRON MAN'S RUN: Nat Borchers, who was the only field player to have started in and played every minute of all 25 Rapids regular season matches this season, will see his amazing run come to an end this weekend against DC United. His red card last weekend against the Galaxy at The Home Depot Center (courtesy of two yellow cards awarded by FIFA referee Brian Hall) will have him watching the game at home while leaving the Minutes Played and Games Started categories alone to goalkeeper Joe Cannon, the only other Rapids player who has started in and played every minute of all 25 of the Black and Blue's games this year.

MOVING UP THE TABLE: Despite being in the last playoff spot in the Western Conference for the majority of the season, the Rapids are close to moving up. Colorado trails FC Dallas by five points and are seven points behind Los Angeles, with two games in hand over the Galaxy.

UNDEFEATED STREAK STOPS AT FIVE: The Rapids' undefeated streak came to an end last weekend with their 4-1 loss to the Galaxy at The Home Depot Center. Entering the match, the Black and Blue were holding a 4-0-1 record that is now set at 4-1-1. Since the halfway point of the season, the Mile High Club is 5-2-2, amassing 17 points.

NEXT HOME GAME IS OKTOBERFEST!: Throw on your lederhosen, grab your stein, and join the Rapids for a night of German and Bavarian cultural bands and dancers, and a special pre-game Happy Hour in the Rapids Beer Hall! It's all part of the Rapids Oktoberfest celebration, taking place at the next Rapids home game on Sept. 21 vs. Real Salt Lake!

OCT. 1 IS CONOCO FREE SOCCER BALL NITE!: Don't miss Conoco Free Soccer Ball Night on Saturday, October 1, when the first 6,000 kids into the stadium will get a free size 5 Rapids soccer ball, courtesy of Conoco!

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